Found Deceased UK - Nicola Bulley Last Seen Walking Dog Near River - St Michaels on Wyre (Lancashire) #4

[TheLinkPanther]

I can't figure out how to reply to a message from thread 3 but on this thread, maybe it's not possible so just adding my original message and elaborating on my thoughts.
In response to the questions raised about the lack of evidence being found in the river:

I have no experience in this field but wellies are not easily removed so I wouldn't have thought they could come off in the water. She had her hair in a pony tail, no hat, so nothing to lose there, and an ankle length gilet and coat underneath. Assuming they were zipped up they wouldn't come loose either. So aside from the items found out of the water (phone, harness & lead) I can't think of any other evidence that could be found.
The only blank for me is earphones. How was NB listening in to that Teams call? Older pictures (on this thread) show her wearing corded earphones so if Willow had been down the bank and NB put the phone on the bench and dropped the harness & lead to help her/see to her (whatever was going on) she would have had to unplug the earphones from the phone. Unless she had AirPods or some other cordless earphones which would have been in her ears. These are incredibly small so I wouldn't know how easy they'd be to find in a 15km stretch of river with varying current IMO.

So could NB have been listening on loudspeaker?
It's another possibility but also to be considered: as a mortgage advisor would you be broadcasting a Teams meeting which could potentially involve clients personal information on loudspeaker? Having said that it's a rural area so perhaps not many people are around to overhear such a meeting. As a dog walker myself I prefer to be hands free if listening to anything so I can be throwing a ball, poop scooping etc so earphones of some kind are important to me. If she did indeed listen on loudspeaker then that's even less evidence to find as zero headphones at all. IMO

Apologies, this is just my longwinded way of trying the decipher why no evidence (that we are aware of) has been found in the river thus far. It doesn't seem that unusual to me IMO

 

[Alyce]

If I remember correctly they said the person who found the phone was not familiar with NB or Willow, and it was only when they met other dog walkers later who knew NB, was it realised who the phone and dog actually belonged to.

The woman, who runs a business in St Michaels on Wyre, Lancashire, said she knew of Ms Bulley

Nicola Bulley: Shop owner 'found missing woman's dog running free and phone on bench'

The woman spotted Nicola Bulley's brown springer spaniel Willow running free on the bank of the River Wyre in Lancashire.

uk.news.yahoo.com

 

[PandaMarch]

Assuming that the witness statements are accurate.

likely they are able to confirm this with mobile phone data

 

[DFR3217]

I went for a walk along the Tweed a few months ago, where I was walking had a quite steep sloping bank, and it just freaked me out, because the path I was walking on was quite narrow, and I feared I might slip in, and didn't fancy it at all, so I turned back.

The main working hypothesis is that she has fallen in the river. It's certainly a reasonable one, but people aren't statistics, and though the probability of that being the case is high, evidence is more important. At some point we will find out, I'd guess. Very sad for her family.

 

[citygirl]

What a great presser, that police officer was a shining example of how to communicate without side or disembling. Shes a credit to herself

Also impressed by the reporters. Calm, no screaming and shouting. All dignified.

 

[Lass from Yorkshire]

If this is the case, the not knowing what happened between that bench and the river would kill me. I would be forever thinking it over in my head. Tragic for all that know her.

This time of year always makes me anxious of cold water stories. They break my heart and often leave loved ones simply not knowing how it happened. Awful.

 

[PandaMarch]

Sorry I'm a bit of a noob at replying from previous threads but the below was a response to someone questioning why she couldn't get herself out (if this is what happened)

This is all personal anecdote but I jumped (not fell) into a river in an attempt to end my life around 6 years ago and basically the second I hit the water I regretted it. Even though I was expecting the cold I can't overstate the shock your body goes into, it's like I turned into a stone. I consider myself a very strong swimmer, happily will swim in the sea but genuinely my body was unable to move and I had no air in my lungs. I was wearing shoes so kicking around was impossible and I just basically accepted I had made my bed by jumping in, and even though I really wanted to get out, I couldn't. Anyway luckily a DPD driver was out delivering nearby late at night, saw me and rescued me but without anyone there I would have easily gone under. This was the river tees too so not a very big or very strong river.


All completely anecdotal of course but just an insight into how even a very strong capable swimmer can be shocked by cold water/fear/panic and not be able to get out

Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm so glad that someone was there to help you get out

 

[Haveyoufedthecat]

Good Afternoon everyone, I've been following this thread all morning and just logged in to comment. This is indeed a very very tragic outcome and displays fully just how dangerous waters can be. I hope now that her remains can be found as quickly as possible to bring her back to the family. But shameful to say and I'm sure I'm wrong but I've got an uneasy feeling about this that won't go away. Whilst writing I might respectfully ask this question, let's say this is a tragic accident and she has slipped into the river I would hope that statistically most poor souls this happens to are found relatively quickly for the sake of their families. I know it's been a week already but I would pray, especially for the children that it is not too long before she is found.

 

[MrsWard84]

Hopefully the app connected to the blue fitbit they stated she was wearing will be able to provide some further info

 

[INTuitP]

She was wearing a full body ankle length gillet - i didnt know that, but it kind of all makes sense now!

She was wearing something akin to a sleeping bag and im sure anyone thats tried to sit or stand in a sleeping bag will know that tripping over is likely and if you go over you arent going to be able to bend your legs to save yourself (just topple over like a pencil) Add to that, it would have bubbled up and consumed her when she hit the water, then eventually... weighed her down.

A dark insulated gillet covering her whole body makes sense why its difficult to find her.

The most tragic of accidents. Thoughts and prayers to the family

 

[PandaMarch]

No mention of her personal phone? Its possible NB had one and is still with her.

they just talked of 'her phone' no mention if she had a work phone at all or on her

 

[infinit]

they just talked of 'her phone' no mention if she had a work phone at all or on her

My experience of these small mortgage firms (My partner has worked at like 4), is that you use your personal phone via BYOD. Work phones are an additional cost to the business they can get away without.

JMO.

 

[tulip182]

The reference to the exit not covered by CCTV was it Garstang Rd via Allotment Lane or via or the exit at the other end of the walk (rowanwater)? I can see why they might be asking for info if it’s the allotment lane end.

There looks to be vehicle access from Allotment Lane to a small building next to the weir. The lane has 2 gates. Are they locked or is anyone able to open them? These can be seen on the drone footage.

If the police are mistaken and she’s not in the water, is it possible that she went over the stile by the bench into the next field and either went into the water or was put into a vehicle there leaving via allotment lane? That field is separated from the other path by a hedge so less people around to see. It would make sense with the dog staying in the area around the bench/gate.

Just my thoughts based on the photos and drone footage I’ve seen.

 

[PandaMarch]

I don’t like the sound of the 10 minutes & an exit that they don’t have any cctv etc for.
Yes the likelihood is perhaps she went into the river but she could also have left via that entrance by choice or not? Why discount it fully?

they didn't say they didn't have any, just that they are still calling for more to completely discount it

 

[kittythehare]

She was wearing a full body ankle length gillet - i didnt know that, but it kind of all makes sense now!

She was wearing something akin to a sleeping bag and im sure anyone thats tried to sit or stand in a sleeping bag will know that tripping over is likely and if you go over you arent going to be able to bend your legs to save yourself (just topple over like a pencil) Add to that, it would have bubbled up and consumed her when she hit the water, then eventually... weighed her down.

A dark insulated gillet covering her whole body makes sense why its difficult to find her.

The most tragic of accidents. Thoughts and prayers to the family

She was wearing a heavy coat under it as well!

 

[Bedlam]

The woman, who runs a business in St Michaels on Wyre, Lancashire, said she knew of Ms Bulley

Nicola Bulley: Shop owner 'found missing woman's dog running free and phone on bench'

The woman spotted Nicola Bulley's brown springer spaniel Willow running free on the bank of the River Wyre in Lancashire.

uk.news.yahoo.com

At approx 6 minutes into the police conference the lead officer said the person did not know who owned the phone or the dog at the time they were found until meeting up with other dog walkers.

 

[PandaMarch]

I hope this doesn't seem insensitive, but under controlled conditions with a life-guard nearby, it would be useful to reconstruct someone of similar age/size falling into the river at that exact point wearing the exact same clothing.
Does the volunteer immediately get into serious trouble? Are they able to surface, if so, how quickly? If they surface without panicking too much, how well can they tread water, can they hold onto the side, for how long? If they are unable to surface, or tread water, where do they end up in 30 seconds? What happens to their clothing - does it fall off, at all? Etc. I suppose it's pointless because they'd never be able to do it...

too dangerous; risk of heart attack. Also they don't need to as they have experts on water movement, rivers etc to consult with

 

[3point5]

I don’t like the sound of the 10 minutes & an exit that they don’t have any cctv etc for.
Yes the likelihood is perhaps she went into the river but she could also have left via that entrance by choice or not? Why discount it fully?

When have the police said they're discounting it as a possibility? It's just not their working theory as there's no evidence for it.

 

[Kassanddra]

Definitely the visions of a coat then a long length gilet over the top… that’s a heavy thing once wet isn’t it. Poor lady unless she had fainted or passed out/collapsed she must have been terrified. Even for a short second or so. Perhaps she did that thing where you feet go from underneath you, she landed hard on her bum/back, was in agony and add to that slipping into the river and the cold taking over. I can almost picture it now this is distressing.

Still surprised no one saw her floating or saw anything in river downstream. Walking, I instinctively look at rivers as it’s quite mesmerising.

 

[Taskforce88]

Is the shop owner the same person as the caravan park owner?